Business English Course

Elementary to Intermediate
Overview
The Business English Course for Elementary to Intermediate level students seeks to provide students of
English as a Second Language with a specific technical course, which provide them with practical tools for
doing business. The program will impart the basic structures of the English language, while focusing the
conversation towards common business and company-life situations, thus providing the vocabulary that
any person will need while performing in a job that requires the use of English for communicating with
peers, superiors, clients and providers.

Student Profile
Complete High School is required at minimum. However, the higher the level of academic education, the
more the student will be able to take advantage of these classes. Anyone with a desire to achieve a better
understanding of the English language in a business context will benefit greatly from this course. The
course is particularly useful for people who work in a company, at any level; but will also provide excellent
skills to those who work in hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, airports, transportations terminals and
stations, and just about anyone who comes into contact with clients, or just people who are in business.

Duration and Frequency

The course is designed for 105 hours of study, divided into 70 work lessons with a teacher, and 35 hours of
independent work and study. Taking into account that the people who would be interested in this course
are either already working or trying to get into work or business as soon as possible, the proposed
frequency is 2-hour classes, twice per week; or one 4-hour class each Saturday. Therefore, the course
would be completed in around four months. In any event, students should see fair improvement in their
skills after the first four weeks.

Course Materials and Resources

The Course is designed to be taught by following a Student’s Book, which outlines all the material, divided
into 10 Units. Each Unit contains 6 Lessons, and each Lesson is structured in five sections: listening,
vocabulary building, grammar links, reading, and writing. The Student’s Book is complemented by a
Workbook, designed to help the student review and practice the material at home.

The course Teacher will have a Teacher’s Book with detailed information regarding the objectives of each
lesson, and the skills that should be imparted; Lesson Plans for every Lesson, listing the activities that
should be completed each lesson, and the allotted; and a CD containing all the listening portions of the
course, and will be administered by the Teacher each class.

Students will be encouraged to engage in Internet Research between lessons. This research will be guided
by the teacher, according to each Lesson Plan, and will be a part of the following lesson.

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Contents

UNIT 1: COMMUNICATING

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Introducing  Names Meeting People: Verb: to be Elementary
1 yourself /  Numbers Greetings Pronouns
others  Nationalities Business Cards

LESSON In the Office  Office Supplies Hot Desking vs. Personal There is / Elementary
2  Equipment Office Space There are
 Furniture Corner Office with a This/That
view A/an/the

LESSON Telephone &  Making and Phone Etiquette Present Simple Elementary
3 Mobile answering Assisting clients Questions
Phone Calls telephone calls Adverbs of
Frequency:
when / what
time / how
long
LESSON Writing  Emails An Email to a Company Present Elementary
4  A Formal Letter Client Continuous
 Memos Responding a Letter of Present Simple
 Reports Complaint vs. Present
A Memo to the Boss Continuous
Completing a Report Spelling of -ing
form
How often /
How many?

LESSON Commuting  Forms of Going to Work / Work Can / Can’t Elementary

5 transportation coming to you
 Telecommuting A business trip
LESSON Feedback  Office Hierarchy Talking to the Boss Was/Were Elementary
6  Organizational Receiving/Responding to Past Simple
Chart Feedback
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

2
 UNIT 2 – DEALING WITH CLIENTS

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY TOPICS READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Different  Stores and A day in the life of K- Simple Pre-
1 Workplaces Companies Mart Present Intermediate
 Providers Does /
 The Market Doesn’t
 Client Vs. Customer
LESSON Chain of  Bargaining From the Warehouse, Better than / Pre-
2 Distribution through the the Best Intermediate
Wholesaler, to Retailer Worse than /
The Right Price: price the worst
Vs quality
LESSON Negotiation  Buying and Selling Conditionals: Pre-
3  Making an Offer If / would / Intermediate
 Accepting/Rejecting would be /
would not

LESSON A Business  At the Airport Taking a Flight At / In / On Pre-

4 Trip  Addresses Getting a Cab Where Intermediate
 At the Hotel Asking for an Upgrade Past Simple
 Asking for Help Asking for Help To / From
LESSON The Business  Running a Meeting: Brainstorming Do / Don’t Pre-
5 Meeting Etiquette Great Meeting! Can? / Could? Intermediate
 Asking for Opinions Agree to Disagree Either / or /
/ Giving Neither
Suggestions or
Alternatives
LESSON The  Making Offers The Wrong Stuff Did / Didn’t Pre-
6 Complaint  Accepting / A letter of complaint Will / Will not Intermediate
Refusing
Responsibility
 Promising Action
 Following through
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

3
 UNIT 3 – COMPANY LIFE

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Getting the  Talking about Interview for a Job: Sell Can / Can’t Pre-
1 Job abilities and yourself Could / Would Intermediate
possibilities Who can you trust?
 Job Interviews
LESSON A good day  Asking and Conversation: a couple Was / Were Pre-
2 answering talking about what kind Past Simple: Intermediate
questions of day they had. irregular verbs
about your day Article: Exception or
or weekend explosion?
LESSON Dress Code  Describing Global trends Present Pre-
3 what people Office Dress Code Continuous Intermediate
are wearing Present
continuous Vs.
Present Simple
LESSON Company  Questions The History of Nintendo Past simple Pre-
4 History about the past Birth of the Internet Time Intermediate
 Questions with expressions: in
prompts / on / at / ago
 Questions When?
without a
subject
LESSON A Coffee  Telling Did I ever tell you…? Past simple: Pre-
5 Break anecdotes irregular verbs Intermediate
 Using did for Form: ever
emphasis been… / Never.
Using did for
emphasis
LESSON The  Company life Conversation between a Present Perfect Pre-
6 Entrepreneur Vs. Bank Manager and an Present Perfect Intermediate
Entrepreneursh Entrepreneur Vs. Past Simple
ip
 Describing
change
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

4
 UNIT 4 – IN THE OFFICE

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Stressed Out!  Describing A Pain in the Neck Have to / Pre-
1 people’s jobs Article: Stressed to the Should Intermediate
 Talking about Limit Giving advice:
stressed- should /
related shouldn´t
problems
LESSON Hiring and  Using the Getting sacked. Passive form Pre-
2 Firing passive form Intermediate
to complete a
report
LESSON Getting  Describing The Business Report Present Perfect Pre-
3 Things Done your work A presentation The Unfinished Intermediate
using Present Past
Perfect Since & for…
From / To…
How long…?
LESSON Time  Discussing Asking favors Going to Vs. Pre-
4 Management time A Talk on Time Will Intermediate
 Saying “no” Management Polite language:
tactfully Saying “no” requests and
demands
LESSON Office Gossip  Using An Office Rumor Reported Pre-
5 Reported Changing relations in the Speech: She/He Intermediate
Speech workplace said that…
LESSON Performance  Personnel Sickies and Business: Going to / will Pre-
6 Evaluation Problems Absenteeism May / might Intermediate
 Making Meeting Expectations at As / than
Comparisons Work

LESSON Review /
7 Examination

5
 UNIT 5 – OTHER FORMS OF BUSINESS

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON E-commerce  Internet Focus Group Discussion Emphasizing Pre-
1 Marketing Shopping from Home using “is one Intermediate
 On-line thing, but… is
Shopping another”
 Completing a Will for future
report predictions
I think + will
LESSON Working  Expressing Go Home and Work Conditionals Pre-
2 from Home hypothetical Magazine Article: (future Intermediate
situations Working at Home reference): I
using would... + if
conditionals
 Identifying
advantages
and
disadvantages
LESSON Networking  Asking People meeting by Constructing Pre-
3 questions chance on a business questions to use Intermediate
 Starting trip in conversations
conversations Conversation about a Putting a
 Talking about business contact conversation in
a third person order
LESSON The Business  Conversation Conversation: people Sentence Pre-
4 Lunch skills from different cultures structure: Intermediate
 Explaining who talking about doing putting
does what in business sentences in
your company Business Etiquette in order
 Identifying and Japan
talking about
cultural
differences
LESSON Keep it in the  Dealing with Economic Reports Saying numbers Pre-
5 Family figures Describing trends Adverbs and Intermediate
 Negotiating The Stock Markets Adjectives
deadlines Be going to / will
 Making Offers / won’t
LESSON Franchising  Business Going Global with a Past Simple - Pre-
6 Franchising Submarine Present Perfect Intermediate
Choosing a Leader For / Since
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

6
 UNIT 6 – DOING BUSINESS

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Buying and  Pre-
1 Selling Intermediate
LESSON Price Vs. Quality  Pre-
2 Intermediate
LESSON Advertising  Pre-
3 Intermediate
LESSON Marketing  Pre-
4 Intermediate
LESSON Globalization  Pre-
5 Intermediate
LESSON Imports/Exports  Pre-
6 Intermediate
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

7
 UNIT 7 – TYPES OF BUSINESS

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Wholesale  Pre-
1 Products Intermediate
LESSON Retail Market  Pre-
2 Intermediate
LESSON Services  Pre-
3 Intermediate
LESSON Banking and  Pre-
4 Finances Intermediate
LESSON The World of  Pre-
5 Technology Intermediate
LESSON Pharmaceuticals  Pre-
6 Intermediate
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

8
 UNIT 8 – WRITING IN BUSINESS 1

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Types of  Intermediate
1 Written
Communication
LESSON Emails  Intermediate
2
LESSON Formal Letters  Intermediate
3 1
LESSON Formal Letters  Intermediate
4 2
LESSON In-House  Intermediate
5 Memos
LESSON In-House  Intermediate
6 Reports
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

9
 UNIT 9 – WRITING IN BUSINESS 2

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Memos to  Intermediate
1 Clients
LESSON Reports to  Intermediate
2 Corporate
LESSON Reports to  Intermediate
3 Clients
LESSON Building a  Intermediate
4 Presentation
LESSON Giving a  Intermediate
5 Presentation
LESSON Answering  Intermediate
6 Questions
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

10
 UNIT 10 – GETTING OUT THERE

LESSON TOPIC VOCABULARY READING/LISTENING STRUCTURE / LEVEL

# TOPICS SKILLS GRAMMAR
LESSON Preparing for  Drafting your Intermediate
1 an Interview CV
 The tough
questions
 Asking
questions
LESSON Getting the  Sell yourself Intermediate
2 Job  Distinguish
yourself from
other
candidates
 Providing
possibilities
LESSON First Week  Office Do’s Intermediate
3 on the Job and Don’ts
 Make
yourself
Visible
LESSON Your First  Prepare Intermediate
4 Business  Be Informed
Meeting  Make the
Difference
LESSON Business  Describing Steve Jobs: profile of a Intermediate
5 Leaders and yourself business leader
Success  Being
Stories successful
LESSON Working  Living abroad Global Recruiting Intermediate
6 Abroad  Learning The Headhunter
other
cultures
LESSON Review /
7 Examination

11
 UNIT 1 – COMMUNICATING
LESSON 1: INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO OTHERS

Listening: listen to the conversations and complete the gaps.

Conversation 1
A Excuse me ________ ________ Mr. Jensen?
B Yes, I am. Are you from Nixdorf?
A Yes, _______ Saskia Slater. How do you do?
B Pleased to meet you.
A ______ ______ very tired after your flight?
B A little, but _____ fine.
A Good. Oh, here we are. Taxi!

Conversation 2
A Hello _____ _____ one of the organizers?
B No. I’m not. I’m a delegate, like you.
A Hello _____ _____ one of the organizers?
B No. I’m not. I’m a delegate, like you.
A Oh, I’m sorry.
B So ______ Jacques Leclerk.
A Yes, but how…
B Your badge. ______ Jeff Simpson, from
CMG.
A Oh, CMG. ______ big in plastics of course.
B Yes, we are. And who _____ _____ with?
A Morgan Friedman.

Conversation 3
A Hello, Enrique. How _____ _____?
B I’m fine. I’m fine. And you?
A Yes, I’m fine too. _____ _____ alone?
B Yes, I am.
A So, you are free to join me.
B Yes. Yes, _____ _____. Thank you.
A Over here, the table by the window.

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Conversation 4
A Good Afternoon. I’m from LPG.
B Ah, yes, Mr. Poulson.
A No _____ _____ Mr. Poulson. I’m Mr. Leeman.
B Right. Sorry about that. Room 303.
A Thank you.
B _______ welcome.

Conversation 5
A Good morning.
B Good morning _____ _____ in the right place
for British Airways?
A Yes.
B Oh, Good. My ticket and passport.
Here _____ _____
A Thank you. Nothing to check in?
B No.
A Flight BA372, boarding at Gate 23 in about ten
minutes. Your boarding pass.
B Thanks.

Vocabulary Building: Discuss the meaning of each term, and then work in pairs to practice them
in conversation.

Excuse me Delegate Here we are

Are you from…? / Are you Badge Sorry about that
with…?
Tired Free to join me
Pleased to meet you / How do
you do Right place (for) …by the window
Good morning / afternoon / (to be) big in (something)
evening
Check in
Thank you / Thanks / You’re
welcome.

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Grammar Link: Look at the grammatical forms provided in the table below, and then work with
a partner. Use the prompts to practice conversations. Use your own names and companies.

The verb To Be
Affirmative Contraction Negative Contraction

I am I’m I am not I’m not

you are you’re you are not you aren’t / you’re not
we are we’re we are not we aren’t / we’re not

a. Excuse me _________________ (your Yes

name) ? So / free to join
Yes / you from (company) ? Yes / thank
Yes / I / how do… ? by the window
Pleased / meet
Tired / flight ? d. Afternoon / from (company)
Little / fine Yes (name)
Here / taxi ! No / I (name)
Right / sorry / 303
b. Hello / one / organizers ? Thank
No / delegate / you Welcome
So / (name)
Yes / but… e. Morning
Badge / I (name) / from (company) Morning / right place (airline)
Oh / you / big in Yes
Yes / with ? Good / ticket / passport / here
I / (company) Thank / nothing / check in ?
No
c. Hello / how / you ? Flight BA372 / Gate 23 / ten minutes
Fine / you? Thanks
Fine / too / alone ?

Reading: Building relationships - cross-cultural understanding.

Building a business relationship can be difficult if your partner is from a different culture and you
do not understand their expressions.
In many western societies, including the United States, a person who does not maintain “good eye
contact” is suspicious. Americans associate people who avoid eye contact as unfriendly, insecure,
inattentive and impersonal. In contrast, the Japanese teach children in school to look at the
teacher’s neck, and, as adults, the Japanese lower their eyes when talking to a superior, a sign of

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respect. Latin American and African cultures have longer “looking time”, and the British pay strict
attention to the speaker, and blink many times to indicate that they are paying attention.

Meeting and greeting a person is not always the same. In the Western society, you shake the person’s
hand. But the Japanese bow when they meet a new person, and to them handing out a business card is a
sign of respect, and it is very rude to take it and not read it immediately.

Discuss the passage you just read with the rest of the class. Have you met someone from a different
culture? What is your experience?

Grammar Link: Read the following passage, and then complete the sentences below.

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays for
Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Uruguayan national team. In July 2014,
Suárez moved to Barcelona for a fee of €81 million. He is the third most
expensive player in the history of football, and some people think that is a lot
of money.

He is one of the best strikers in the world. But Suárez is a controversial

player. People are saying that he bites his opponents, and he has a strong
personality. One woman is accusing him of racial abuse. However, his
Uruguayan and world fans like him very much, and they are angry that others
criticize him.

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The verb To Be
Affirmative Contraction Negative Contraction

he is he’s he is not he isn’t / he's not

she is she’s she is not she isn’t / she’s not
it is it’s it is not it isn’t / it’s not
they are they’re they are not they aren’t / they’re not

Writing: Complete these sentences about the things listed on the left.

a Barcelona FC __It’s__ a Spanish football club.

b Suárez ______ an Uruguayan football player.
c People say… ______ saying that he bites his opponents.
d One woman ______ accusing him of racial abuse.
e His fans ______ angry that _____ being criticized.
f €81 million ______ a lot of money!

Complete the sentences below.

A _________ Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz from?

B _________ from Uruguay
A _________ his team Uruguayan?
B No. His team is Barcelona FC. _________ a Spanish club.
A And what ____ ______ salary?
B _______ around €81 million a year.

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 UNIT 1 – COMMUNICATING
LESSON 2: IN THE OFFICE

Listening: A survey company phoned people to ask them about how they work. Listen to these
conversations and check the items on Table 1 with √ or X.

Table 1
CONVERSATION 1 CONVERSATION 2 CONVERSATION 3
Shares a desk
Works flexible hours
Has own coffee cup

Listening & Conversation: Work with a partner. Answer the following questions with
information about yourself. Then ask your partner to give information about him/herself.

a. Do you have your own desk at work?

b. Do you like to personalize your work space?
c. Do you start and finish work at the same time every day?
d. Do you have your own coffee mug at the office?
e. Do you have a computer on your desk? Where is it?
f. Is there anything else on your desk?
g. Is your desk organized?

Vocabulary Building: Find the following items in the picture on the next page.

Notepad desk postcard pen

File toy mouse pad computer
Paper plant folder keyboard
photograph ashtray CD mouse
Poster filing cabinet telephone
post-it note notice board computer screen

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Reading: According to some experts, your desk says a lot about your personality. Read the
following descriptions and answer the questions below.

The Super-Organized Desk The Show Desk

You are a super-efficient secretary or personal This is a very smart, large desk, which is very
assistant. There is only essential office equipment organized because there is nothing on it. You are
on the desk. For example, there is a notepad, a pen, usually a reserved type. A manager who wants to
and a computer. give an impression of control and space.

The Organized Chaos Desk The Trophy Desk

There are papers, files and folders everywhere. The You are in middle-management, and you think you
computer screen is covered with Post-it notes. You are a good leader. You have framed academic and
are a creative type who likes talking and sharing professional certificates on the wall, and there are
ideas. You think you know where everything is, but cups and sporting trophies on display on your desk
you often lose things. and filing cabinet. You want to impress, but also
want people to think that you are fun to be with, so
The Personality Extension Desk there are a lot of desk-top toys and colorful
You are friendly, and you like to chat with accessories.
colleagues. You like to feel “at home”, and there are
a lot of personal objects on your desk, like souvenirs
and children’s toys. There are one or two plants. On
the wall there are posters of your favorite artists,
postcards, and holiday photos. Typically, you have a
decorated mouse with cartoon characters on it.

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Grammar Link: there is / there are – a / an / the – some / many / any.

Affirmative Negative
There is a file on the table. There isn’t a swimming pool in the hotel.
There are some folders on the shelf. There aren’t any plants in the office.
Interrogative Short Answers
Is there an internet connection in your office? Yes, there is. / No, there isn’t (there’s not).
Are there any messages for me? Yes there are. / No, there aren’t (are not).

Complete the following sentences.

a. There ______ three photographs on my desk.

b. ______ there a computer in your office?
c. There _______ any plants in my secretary’s desk.
d. There ______ two trophies on my bosses desk.
e. _____ there any toys on it?
f. There _____ a single thing on her desk!
g. I am organized, but there ______ a pile of folders in my office.

Vocabulary Building: Match each job with its description.

1 An Accountant A a person that can fix problems you have with

your teeth.
2 Architect B a person employed in an office who types
letters, keeps records etc.
3 Chef/Cook C a person you go to see when you are ill or have
some type of health problem.
4 Dentist D a person that designs building and houses.

5 Secretary E a person that defends people in court and gives

legal advice.
6 Engineer F a person that works with the money and
accounts of a company.
7 Real estate agent G a person that passes knowledge to students,
usually at school.
8 Lawyer H a person that makes money from selling land
for development.
9 Doctor I a person that prepared food for others, often in
a restaurant or café.
10 Teacher J a person who develops solutions to technical
problems.

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